Best-selling personal computers

[FastRobPlus]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

[Toucan]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

 

Well, I'm going to make sure this year has a twist. I'm going to make sure the TI gets in on the action here so we have an Atari, TI, C64 thing going. A threesome is better than a twosome!

[+Philsan]

COMPLETELY EDITED!

 

So, after have read other posts and Gameplan's Encyclopedia of Game Machine, here is my ranking, wordwide, 8-bit computers:

 

1. C64 (30 millions)

2. Apple II models (5 millions units sold according to Encyclopedia, a very long life also in the 16-bit era)

3. Spectrum models (5 millions according to Encyclopedia, strong in Europe, weak in USA)

4. Atari 400/800/XL/XE (2 millions in the USA + rest of the world, so not less then 2.5 millions, leader of the market 1979-1982, long life till 1991)

5. TI 99-4/A (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia, a strong seller in the first period)

6. Amstrad CPC (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia)

7. Vic-20 (2 millions according to Encyclopedia)

8. Tandy TRS-80 (1 million according to Encyclopedia)

9. Acorn BBC A/B(1 million according to Encyclopedia)

 

I don't know where to put MSX standard computers (many manufacturers, strong in Japan, they arrived later on the market, but in this period the total number of computer sold in the world was higher then in the first years).

Edited September 7, 2008 by Philsan

[Oswald]

Not exactly, Oswald. Besides Atari and others, Enterprise was good alternative, with even better specs. But its bad marketing and hardware faults made it come behind. You become insulted and injured every time when it comes to the fact that C64 is just one of the computers of 8-bit era and that others have some better specifications, like A8 for example. No need for C64.

 

I was talking about 1982, enterprise came 3 years later. and besides c64 is the best selling computer of the era, not just one of them. this makes me happy

[+wood_jl]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

 

Ha ha ha! Priceless comment!! What kind of alliances will form when it intersects with the Mac vs PC arguement that was threatening? I'd like to think Atari and PC (since that's what I use) vs. Mac and Commodore but more people used the Commodore like more people use PC, so I guess it should be Commodore and PC vs Atari and Mac. I guess I'm going to have to cry about that one. Does "more people use it" automatically make it better? More tears.

 

One of the most fascinating things about finding Atari Age (for this relative newcomer) was observing that this highly-opinionated, juvenille arguement still flames in the minds of some. I remember devoting untold hours to it on the BBS's....in the mid-80s when I was 15. Hell, it almost makes me feel young again to see it!!! If only some vendor could turn this (Atari vs. Commodore) passion into dollars.....they'd be rich. I guess that's not possible since flame wars only persist by virtue of the fact that they're FREE!!!

Edited September 7, 2008 by wood_jl

[Gury]

I was talking about 1982, enterprise came 3 years later. and besides c64 is the best selling computer of the era, not just one of them. this makes me happy

Hmm, wrong. C64 just had good balance of sound and graphics power available, similar to Atari 8-bit line. Neither of them is better than other. You wrongly used the word 'BEST'.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Gury

[Artlover]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

Case in point:

Then C64 (god knows why)

Only completely irrelevant and unnecessary instigating.

[games-video]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

 

 

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

 

Not so, I used both (C64/fdd AND A8/fdd) since mid-80s, and it's always the C64 users who never even used or owned an A8 who make crappy remarks, whithout ever making comparison. Trouble was , most C64 users used the machine mainly as a games console, they knew nothing else.

Edited September 7, 2008 by games-video

[FastRobPlus]

COMPLETELY EDITED!

 

So, after have read other posts and Gameplan's Encyclopedia of Game Machine, here is my ranking, wordwide, 8-bit computers:

 

1. C64 (30 millions)

2. Apple II models (5 millions units sold according to Encyclopedia, a very long life also in the 16-bit era)

3. Spectrum models (5 millions according to Encyclopedia, strong in Europe, weak in USA)

4. Atari 400/800/XL/XE (2 millions in the USA + rest of the world, so not less then 2.5 millions, leader of the market 1979-1982, long life till 1991)

5. TI 99-4/A (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia, a strong seller in the first period)

6. Amstrad CPC (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia)

7. Vic-20 (2 millions according to Encyclopedia)

8. Tandy TRS-80 (1 million according to Encyclopedia)

9. Acorn BBC A/B(1 million according to Encyclopedia)

 

I don't know where to put MSX standard computers (many manufacturers, strong in Japan, they arrived later on the market, but in this period the total number of computer sold in the world was higher then in the first years).

 

Nice work!

BTW Wikipedia places MSX at 5 million, but has no source.

Edited September 7, 2008 by FastRobPlus

[games-video]

COMPLETELY EDITED!

 

So, after have read other posts and Gameplan's Encyclopedia of Game Machine, here is my ranking, wordwide, 8-bit computers:

 

1. C64 (30 millions)

2. Apple II models (5 millions units sold according to Encyclopedia, a very long life also in the 16-bit era)

3. Spectrum models (5 millions according to Encyclopedia, strong in Europe, weak in USA)

4. Atari 400/800/XL/XE (2 millions in the USA + rest of the world, so not less then 2.5 millions, leader of the market 1979-1982, long life till 1991)

5. TI 99-4/A (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia, a strong seller in the first period)

6. Amstrad CPC (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia)

7. Vic-20 (2 millions according to Encyclopedia)

8. Tandy TRS-80 (1 million according to Encyclopedia)

9. Acorn BBC A/B(1 million according to Encyclopedia)

 

I don't know where to put MSX standard computers (many manufacturers, strong in Japan, they arrived later on the market, but in this period the total number of computer sold in the world was higher then in the first years).

 

Don't use Gameplan, they are way off (German publishing). Spectrum 5 million, never on your life

[+Philsan]

COMPLETELY EDITED!

 

So, after have read other posts and Gameplan's Encyclopedia of Game Machine, here is my ranking, wordwide, 8-bit computers:

 

1. C64 (30 millions)

2. Apple II models (5 millions units sold according to Encyclopedia, a very long life also in the 16-bit era)

3. Spectrum models (5 millions according to Encyclopedia, strong in Europe, weak in USA)

4. Atari 400/800/XL/XE (2 millions in the USA + rest of the world, so not less then 2.5 millions, leader of the market 1979-1982, long life till 1991)

5. TI 99-4/A (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia, a strong seller in the first period)

6. Amstrad CPC (2.5 millions according to Encyclopedia)

7. Vic-20 (2 millions according to Encyclopedia)

8. Tandy TRS-80 (1 million according to Encyclopedia)

9. Acorn BBC A/B(1 million according to Encyclopedia)

 

I don't know where to put MSX standard computers (many manufacturers, strong in Japan, they arrived later on the market, but in this period the total number of computer sold in the world was higher then in the first years).

 

Don't use Gameplan, they are way off (German publishing). Spectrum 5 million, never on your life

I too think this is excessive! Does someone can help us to retrieve the correct number of Spectrums sold?

[Oswald]

I was talking about 1982, enterprise came 3 years later. and besides c64 is the best selling computer of the era, not just one of them. this makes me happy

Hmm, wrong. C64 just had good balance of sound and graphics power available, similar to Atari 8-bit line. Neither of them is better than other. You wrongly used the word 'BEST'.

 

which one is wrong of my above statements? c64 wasnt the best selling 8 bit computer? or should I said c64 was the most sold computer?

 

and what is a balance between sound and graphics power ? one of them cant be too good, because then the other one will be weak?

 

I dont understand you.

[www.atarimania.com]

I can't see the Atari 8-bit line at just 2.5 or just 3 million units sold, it doesn't make sense.

 

Here are my very rough estimates, no idea how realistic these numbers are...

 

USA: 2,500,000

Canada: 300,000

Mexico: 100,000

Chile: 200,000

Germany (West and East): 500,000

UK: 350,000

Benelux: 150,000

France: 80,000

Western Europe (rest): 50,000

Poland: 200,000

Eastern Europe (rest): 200,000

Australia / New Zealand: 50,000

Rest: 100,000

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

[+wood_jl]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

Perhaps. But one must wonder why Commodore advocates wouldn't be prepared to expect (and ignore) such remarks at "www.atariage.com." If I were visiting "www.commodoreage.com" and ran into war-prone Commodore users dissing Atari computers, I don't think I'd take the bait because I'd have to consider not only the source, but the domain. I wonder why that shouldn't be the case here?

[Oswald]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

Perhaps. But one must wonder why Commodore advocates wouldn't be prepared to expect (and ignore) such remarks at "www.atariage.com." If I were visiting "www.commodoreage.com" and ran into war-prone Commodore users dissing Atari computers, I don't think I'd take the bait because I'd have to consider not only the source, but the domain. I wonder why that shouldn't be the case here?

 

c= users never diss the atari on commodore age. guess why

[Bryan]

Surprise! It's an Atari forum. Personally, I have no interest in trolling C= forums responding to those who bad-mouth the Atari. Apparently Commodore fans have more free time.

 

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

Case in point:

Then C64 (god knows why)

Only completely irrelevant and unnecessary instigating.

[+Philsan]

Oswald,

you cannot, every time someone writes something about C64,

in this case only

Then C64 (god knows why)

reply and turn normal Atari threads into flames.

This is an Atari forum and it is normal that people sometimes write something against C64.

In Spectrum's forums I have read many times that Sir Sinclair's computer is better then C64 but I don't go there writing the contrary.

 

Many times I agree with you, I know you are a good programmer, but I have to say that your behaviour ruin threads.

Normal threads, not threads Atari vs C64 where your opinion is useful.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Philsan

[atarian63]

The annual Atari versus C64 thread. 30+ pages of soon to be moderator-locked insanity. Has it been a year already?

It's always the Atari people who start the crap with unprovoked snide anti Commodore remarks and drag us into it.

 

Case in point:

Then C64 (god knows why)

Only completely irrelevant and unnecessary instigating.

:roll: it's an Atari site. Duhh!

[+davidcalgary29]

I can't see the Atari 8-bit line at just 2.5 or just 3 million units sold, it doesn't make sense.

 

Here are my very rough estimates, no idea how realistic these numbers are...

 

 

Canada: 300,000

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

 

Those numbers do seem to be quite low, and Atari Canada did do an excellent job of maintaining market presence for the A8 line up until '91 (as I was still able to buy XE carts from dealers at that time), so I supect that many more Canadians had A8s than is commonly known. In Alberta (where I live), Atari had a minimal advertised presence, and yet today it's an even bet that any old computer item I might find in the few thrift stores that still carry them will be either for the C64 or the A8 or the ST. I have never, OTOH, found any Apple II/c/e or TI items (or certainly, CoCo) in the wild after fifteen or so years of searching, which is interesting, given the fact that Apple had such saturation in the school market . I still see IIGS systems and Amiga systems advterised in the classifieds, though this is becoming rare.

[ataridano]

Well, I'm going to make sure this year has a twist. I'm going to make sure the TI gets in on the action here so we have an Atari, TI, C64 thing going. A threesome is better than a twosome!

 

I like it! You know, the TI99 was the first 16 bit home computer. It's expansion system (while not the cheapest) rivals that of the 1090XL, and it was on the market before the VIC-20!

[Oswald]

This is an Atari forum and it is normal that people sometimes write something against C64.

 

why ? c64 people never diss atari or speccy.

[dwhyte]

Atari, Commodore, Spec, TI, CoCo, etc...

 

Anyone who limits themselves to painting with one color does not know what their pallet is missing...

 

 

 

 

 

@davidcalgary29: nice to see another person from the peace country on these forums... g.p. here...

Edited September 8, 2008 by dwhyte

[+Philsan]

This is an Atari forum and it is normal that people sometimes write something against C64.

 

why ? c64 people never diss atari or speccy.

I have read many posts of C64 people that claims Commodore machine's superiority.

Perhaps it is true, but if you write this for example on a Spectrum's forum, only if an user says something against C64 in a thread not Spectrum vs C64 related, you are a troll.

So, please stop, in particular in thread like mine not C64 related.

 

This is a peaceful forum and if we want to keep peace we only have 2 possibilities:

1. AtariAge users write absolutely nothing against C64

2. You stop replying everytime you see something wrong (in this thread you have opened fire only for a little "god knows why").

 

I don't think the first one is a viable solution in an Atari forum!

Edited September 8, 2008 by Philsan

[Kaz atarionline.pl]

c= users never diss the atari on commodore age. guess why

 

They do. For example when they tried and couldn't port so nice game like "Yoomp" for C64 even author of game offered them sources... However topics on Commodore forums are usually boring (how many times you can read about "new" demo with the same effects known last 20 years or how "the best selling" C64 was?) and C64 fans (like you Oswald) have to visit Atari sites.

 

 

PS. Thanks God I haven't bought C64. I could be Oswald nowadays. Apage, Satanas!

[JamesD]

Those numbers do seem to be quite low, and Atari Canada did do an excellent job of maintaining market presence for the A8 line up until '91 (as I was still able to buy XE carts from dealers at that time), so I supect that many more Canadians had A8s than is commonly known. In Alberta (where I live), Atari had a minimal advertised presence, and yet today it's an even bet that any old computer item I might find in the few thrift stores that still carry them will be either for the C64 or the A8 or the ST. I have never, OTOH, found any Apple II/c/e or TI items (or certainly, CoCo) in the wild after fifteen or so years of searching, which is interesting, given the fact that Apple had such saturation in the school market . I still see IIGS systems and Amiga systems advterised in the classifieds, though this is becoming rare.

Funny, there seem to be a lot of CoCo's on ebay from Canada.